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2009 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 20

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The following problem is from both the 2009 AMC 12A #20 and 2009 AMC 10A #23, so both problems redirect to this page.

Problem

Convex quadrilateral ABCD has AB = 9 and CD = 12. Diagonals AC and BD intersect at E, AC = 14, and \triangle AED and \triangle BEC have equal areas. What is AE?

\textbf{(A)}\ \frac {9}{2}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac {50}{11}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac {21}{4}\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac {17...

Contents

Solution

Solution 1

Let [ABC] denote the area of triangle ABC. [AED] = [BEC], so [ABD] = [AED] + [AEB] = [BEC] + [AEB] = [ABC]. Since triangles ABD and ABC share a base, they also have the same height and thus \overline{AB}||\overline{CD} and \triangle{AEB}\sim\triangle{CED} with a ratio of 3: 4. AE = \frac {3}{7}AC = 6\ \boxed{\textbf{(E)}}.

pathpen = linewidth(0.7);pointpen = black;pair D=MP("D",(0,0)),C=MP("C",(12,0)),A=MP("A",C+14*e...

Solution 2

Using the sine area formula on triangles AED and BEC, as \angle AED = \angle BEC, we see that

(AE)(ED) = (BE)(EC)\quad \Longrightarrow\quad \frac {AE}{EC} = \frac {BE}{ED}.

Since \angle AEB = \angle DEC, triangles AEB and DEC are similar. Their ratio is \frac {AB}{CD} = \frac {3}{4}. Since AE + EC = 14, we must have AE = 6, EC = 8\ \textbf{(E)}.

See also

2009 AMC 12A (ProblemsResources)
Preceded by
Problem 19
Followed by
Problem 21
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
2009 AMC 10A (ProblemsResources)
Preceded by
Problem 22
Followed by
Problem 24
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Want to learn how to tackle those tough MATHCOUNTS and AMC counting and probability problems? Check out Art of Problem Solving's Introduction to Counting & Probability by David Patrick.
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